Stand-up paddle

ABSTRACT

A stand-up paddle with a shaft ( 3 ) arranged between a paddle blade ( 1 ) and a handle ( 2 ) is described. In order to design the stand-up paddle in such a way that paddle strokes on stand-up paddle boards can be performed, in particular by inexperienced users, without the risk of loss of balance, it is suggested that the handle part ( 2 ) is attached to the end of the shaft ( 3 ) opposite the paddle blade ( 1 ) by means of a tension-resistant, flexible connecting element ( 4 ).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a stand-up paddle with a shaft arranged between a paddle blade and a handle part.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

State-of-the-art stand-up paddles are known, which comprise a shaft arranged between a paddle blade and a grip part and are used as manual drive and control means in connection with so-called stand-up paddle boards (SUP boards) (WO 2016156274 A1). When such SUP boards are used, a riding position is naturally assumed, after which both the shoulder girdle and the parallel pelvic girdle of the user are in a stable balance position on the board at right angles to the direction of travel respectively the longitudinal direction of the board. This results in the disadvantage of the stand-up paddles known from the state of the art, that during the execution of a paddle stroke the balance on the board can only be maintained by applying a lot of force through the torso and leg muscles of the user or, in the worst case, the user falls because the centre of gravity of the user's body shifts out of the balance position due to the rotation and tilting movements of the upper body. As a result, a satisfactory paddling experience for the user can usually only be achieved by more experienced water sports enthusiasts with strong balance skills.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is thus based on the task of designing a stand-up paddle of the type described above in such a way that paddle strokes on stand-up paddle boards can be performed, in particular by inexperienced users, without the risk of a loss of balance.

The invention solves the set task by attaching the handle part to the end of the shaft opposite the paddle blade by means of a tension-resistant, flexible connecting element.

The invention is based on the knowledge that when performing a paddle stroke with a stand-up paddle, the paddle blade dips into the water and displaces it against the direction of travel, so that the water exerts a counterforce on the paddle blade, which in turn must be compensated by a holding force pointing in the direction of travel. Since the paddle forms a lever in this process, after which the active driving hand of the user surrounding the shaft forms the fulcrum, dividing the shaft of the paddle into two lever arms, the holding force necessary for compensation can be introduced into the shaft section on the handle side by the passive guide hand which is surrounding the handle section and preventing the handle section from tilting back against the direction of travel. For this purpose, the grip part must be attached to the shaft via a tension-proof connecting element. Since the connecting element according to the invention is also designed to be flexible, the grip part no longer needs to be on a connecting line with the shaft and the paddle blade, but can be moved out of this line, forming a plane of action stretched between grip part, shaft and paddle blade.

Accordingly, when executing paddle strokes, this plane of action is essentially only moved parallel to the frontal plane of the user's body when standing on the board, so that the shoulder and pelvic girdle can remain in their stable position of balance. Thus, additional, force-intensive taring movements of the user standing on the board, which would normally be necessary to keep the balance on the board when executing paddle strokes in a row, can be avoided. In particular, the features of the invention make it possible to achieve a stable stand on the board during the execution of paddle strokes, so that the overall locomotion on a stand-up paddle board becomes more controllable and therefore also inexperienced users can safely navigate water surfaces with a stand-up paddle board with little effort and reduced risk of falling.

In order to allow an easy and quick change of side with respect to the paddle blade engagement side in the water or an easy change of guide and drive hand with the paddle according to the invention, it is suggested that the connecting element is self-supporting. As a result of this feature, the grip part can remain in the same position relative to the shaft on the paddle when the hands are grasped for a change of side, whereby a new grasping of the grip part or the shaft with the changed guiding or driving hand can be carried out faster and easier, because this avoids that the user has to carry out additional adjustment movements for a new alignment of the grip part when changing sides of the paddle, which would endanger the balance position on the board.

In order to ensure the tensile strength required by the invention to transmit the holding force, the bending elasticity to make the handle position more flexible, as well as the formation of a self-supporting structure of the fastener, a suitable choice of material must be made for it. The difficulty lies in the fact that materials such as ropes, for example, which have tensile strength and flexible properties, cannot form a self-supporting structure.

Particularly advantageous design conditions therefore arise if the connecting element comprises several connecting members which are connected to each other so as to be pivotable about at least one axis running transversely to the direction of connection. A connecting element designed in this way can be made self-supporting by suitable selection of the prestressing between these members or by the provision of friction surfaces. If the spacing of the members from one another is suitably selected, their pivoting angle can be adjusted alternatively or additionally so that they can pivot with one another until the links block one another to form a self-supporting structure. It is also conceivable that the connecting members are designed in such a way that they can each have a capsule at one connection point and a socket at the other connection point, whereby the members are pivotably connected to each other via a ball joint.

In order to ensure the self-supporting effect of the fastener independently of a core provided for the required tensile strength, it may be provided, according to the invention, that the fastener has a supporting jacket. The material of the supporting jacket can be selected in an advantageous manner so that, on the one hand, the bending elasticity of the connecting element is not impaired and, on the other hand, the supporting jacket has at least such a high dimensional stability that it can form the self-supporting structure of the connecting element. In this case, for example, connecting members which are freely movable relative to one another can be provided for sufficient tensile strength and bending elasticity as the core of the connecting element, whereas the supporting jacket gives the connecting element a self-supporting property.

In order to allow the user sufficient freedom of movement in spite of the higher bending stiffness of the handle part, if this should be necessary for sufficient tensile strength in the material selection made, it is proposed that the handle part be connected to the fastener so that it can be pivoted about the transverse axis of said handle part.

In order to make a side change even more efficient, it is suggested that the fastener be attached to the shaft so that it can rotate around the longitudinal axis of the shaft. This means that when changing sides, the user only has to release the grip part with the guide hand and lift the paddle to the other side of the board with the drive hand surrounding the shaft, performing a slight tilting movement. This tilts the longitudinal axis of the paddle in such a way that the grip part can rotate into the correct guiding position due to its own weight. The previously free guiding hand can then embrace the shaft as the new driving hand, whereby the old driving hand embraces the grip part as the new guiding hand. This makes it even easier to change sides of the paddle. To increase this effect, an additional weight can be placed in the grip part, especially in its edge area facing away from the shaft.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

In the drawing, for example, the subject matter of the invention is shown in a partially torn open front view of an embodiment of the stand-up paddle according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A stand-up paddle according to the invention has a shaft 3 arranged between a paddle blade 1 and a handle part 2. The handle part 2 is attached to the end of the shaft 3 opposite the paddle blade 1 via a tension-resistant, flexurally elastic connecting element 4. When performing a paddle stroke with the stand-up paddle according to the invention, the user grasps the handle part 2 with a guiding hand and the shaft 3 with a driving hand performing the pulling and lifting movements. It goes without saying that a stand-up paddle according to the invention can also be used in a sitting position.

In order to ensure that the handle part 2 can be gripped by the changed guide hand from its position relative to the shaft 3 when changing sides, the connecting element 4 can also be of self-supporting design.

The connecting element 4 may comprise, according to a design of the stand-up paddle according to the invention, several connecting members 5 which are connected to one another so as to be pivotable about at least one axis extending transversely to the direction of connection. The self-supporting function of the connecting element 4 can be adjusted, for example, by a frictional or non-positive connection of the individual connecting members 5 to each other.

In order to increase the flexibility of the stand-up paddle according to the invention, the handle part 2 can be connected to the connecting element 4 so that it can be pivoted around the transverse axis of said handle part 2 in case of a higher bending stiffness. Thus, when the connecting element 4 is pivoted, the grip part 2 can be arranged at a right angle to the shaft 3, if necessary, so that the user's guiding hand can grasp the grip part 2 in a comfortable and joint-gentle manner, due to the then pronated hand position.

It may also be provided that the connecting element 4 has a supporting jacket 6. According to a design, the supporting jacket 6 can cover both the handle part 2 and the connecting element 4. The supporting jacket 6 can, through suitable material selection, be able to give the connecting element 4 the self-supporting property, especially if connecting members 5 which can move freely in relation to each other are provided for sufficient tensile strength and bending elasticity as the core of the connecting element 4.

In order to improve the haptic properties of the stand-up paddle in spite of wetness, the supporting jacket 6, which is enclosed by the user's guiding hand, can be made of a non-slip material. For example, the supporting jacket 6 can be made of ethylene vinyl acetate, polyurethane, thermoplastic elastomers or materials with similar properties in terms of slip resistance, low specific weight, chemical resistance and mechanical properties.

In order to be able to carry out a side change with the stand-up paddle according to the invention even more efficiently, the connecting element 4 can be attached to the shaft 3 so that it can be rotated around the longitudinal axis of the shaft 3. 

1. A stand-up paddle comprising: a shaft arranged between a paddle blade and a handle part, wherein the handle part is attached to an end of the shaft opposite the paddle blade with a tension-resistant, flexible connecting element.
 2. A stand-up paddle according to claim 1, wherein the connecting element is self-supporting.
 3. A stand-up paddle according to claim 1, wherein the connecting element comprises a plurality of connecting members connected to one another so as to be pivotable about at least one axis extending transversely to a connecting direction.
 4. A stand-up paddle according to claim 1, wherein the connecting element has a supporting jacket.
 5. A stand-up paddle according to claim 1, wherein the handle part is connected to the connecting element so as to be pivotable about a transverse axis of said handle part.
 6. A stand-up paddle according to claim 1, wherein the connecting element is attached to the shaft so as to be rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the shaft. 